Sometimes There's a Why
by Not So Simple
Summary: Dawn meets somebody in the park that changes her outlook on her life.
1. Post 'The Body'

Sometimes There's a Why  
  
Author: Lauren  
Feedback: send it to Echo728@yahoo.com. Please be gentle it's my first Buffy fic. But still you can give me constructive criticism.   
Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer Joss does. I only own what you don't recognize.  
Rating: PG-13 (use of bad words)  
Spoilers: up to The Body  
Summary: Dawn meets somebody in the park that changes her outlook on her life.  
Author's Notes: I reposted the story to fix the grammar mistakes and to add a little something to it. Also there's actually two stories. Chapter 2 is actually a post 'The Gift' version.  
  
**********  
  
Dawn was walking quickly through town just trying to get away from everyone. They were all smothering her. They were keeping their Glory guard on her and trying to make her feel all better about her mom's death. Even though they know it was not going to go away instantly. She just couldn't take it she needed to be by herself for just a couple minutes.  
  
The park was as good as place as any; you just had to be on vamp watch. She found herself by a bench and just sat down in complete silence and just stared at her feet. After a while, Dawn didn't know how long she looked up and sitting next to her was a girl whom looked just a couple years older than her.   
  
"Can you leave I kinda want to be by myself for a while?" Dawn asked.  
  
"No," was all girl replied.  
  
"Fine I'll leave," as Dawn got up the girl grabbed her arm and pulled her down.  
  
"No. Why don't you tell me what's going on. By the way I'm Eve."  
  
"I think I should go," Dawn managed to stammer out.  
  
"Oh come on. I don't bite, I'm not a demon or working for Glory. And, I'm not evil. Anymore," Eve tried to assure Dawn.  
  
Dawn just stared at her.  
  
"Ok, how about this? I'll tell you about me and you'll tell me what's wrong with you. I already know what's wrong, but I want to hear it from your point of view," after a slight pause, "I can help."  
  
"I don't think Buffy would-"  
  
"Please Dawn when have you ever listened to Buffy?"  
  
"Your right, I never do. So you'll go first right?"  
  
"Right. Ok about 2500 years ago I was a real evil badass. I was a killed and I liked it. Then I died and I was shown the evils of my ways. Now I'm in some sort of purgatory, I guess, making up for the bad. I have some sort of insight so that I can see what a person's, whom I'm suppose to be helping, life is like," Eve said it like it was her second nature.  
  
"You're supposed to be helping me? But, I'm The Key." Dawn explained.  
  
"I guess The Powers That Be don't discriminate," Eve answered simply.  
  
"I guess." Then Dawn went onto explain about Buffy, the Scooby Gang, Joyce, Spike, and being The Key. "So you see I feel so alone. I have no one else besides Buffy and she's expected to die soon. My dad hasn't been a part of my life for a while. He doesn't even know my mom's dead."  
  
"Come on Dawn we both know Buffy tougher than she looks so-"  
  
"What's dying like?" Dawn interrupted.  
  
"Eve looked at Dawn stunned for a second then somewhat composed she said, "It depends on the kind of death. Joyce's was painless, mine hurt like hell. I was gutted."  
  
"Wow was it really painless," Dawn was looking at Eve hopefully.  
  
"Yeah it was," Eve reassured her.  
  
"Why were you gutted?"  
  
"I met a guy who wanted it more than me."  
  
"Wanted what?"  
  
"To win, live."  
  
"So he gutted you," Dawn looked at her incredulously.  
  
"Well I did deserve it and a whole lot more."  
  
"Where you really that bad?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
After a while of silence Eve said, "You know you're not really alone, Dawn."  
  
"You mean I got you?"  
  
"Well yes that's true, but that's not the point I was trying to make. The point is you got your family." Dawn was about to interrupt her, when Eve cut her off, "Yes I know Joyce is dead, Buffy's expected to, and let's not even mention Hank. But you got Giles, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, and yes, even Spike. They're your family. Dawn a family just isn't a bunch of people randomly bonded together by blood and linked together through genetics. It's a group of people who love and care about each other. People who would die for each other and are there till the end."  
  
"How is Spike a part of my family?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Whether he will admit it or not Spike actually cares about MOST of you. Except Xander. But, he doesn't want Xander to die. So that counts for something. And no it's not just because he's all lusty after Buffy," Eve informed Dawn.  
  
"Then why?"   
  
"I can't tell you," was all Eve said. Eve looked at her watch, "Ok Dawn, time to go."  
  
"What, why-?"  
  
"Another person I'm supposed to be helping is going to be coming here any minute, so go."  
  
"Ok fine." Dawn got up and left. After she was out of Eve's sight she doubled back and hid where she could see and see what was going on, but couldn't be seen.  
  
Dawn looked out from her hiding place and saw Eve was already with someone. Dawn looked at the person and saw peroxide blonde hair and leather. "Spike," Dawn whispered to herself.  
  
"Ok so? You were some big bad evil. So now I'm supposed to believe you're some type of do-gooder now?" Spike ranted at Eve.  
  
"Basically, yeah. So why don't you believe. It has happened look at Angel. Look at you." Eve shot back calmly.  
  
"Hey now, I only do it because I want the money."  
  
"Right of course. Then why did you do it for free on so many occasions?" Eve challenged.  
  
"All right. I did it because I love Buffy. Are you bloody happy now?" Spike was glaring at her coolly.  
  
"Spike I know that's only one of the reasons. Please don't lie to me. Remember, I know what all about the people I'm supposed to be helping. We can just sit here all night till you admit the other reasons why you help the slayer and her friends."  
  
"I've had enough of you. Good-bye." Spike got up and started walking. Dawn from her hiding place started to follow him.  
  
Eve just got up and followed him, "I can follow you wherever you go. Just to let know, I will not give up. I want my atonement and I'm not going to put it off for a little while longer because of stupid vampire who thinks he's the "Big Bad". Now I want you to tell me your feelings and I want you to tell them to me now!"  
  
"I said NO. So sod off!"   
  
'That's so it. Time to play rough.' Eve grabbed Spike's arm and roughly started dragging him. Dawn looked on stunned but kept quiet. "Now Spike I didn't want to do this, but now I see we have to."  
  
"Wow, you're surprisingly strong for a little girl." Spike said while trying unsuccessfully to get out of her grasp.  
  
"I know. How do you think I managed to kill all those people, by just simply smiling?" After a while of dragging they ended up in a cemetery I front of a grave.  
  
"Why the bloody hell are we here?" Spike yelled.  
  
"So that you would hopefully finally admit why you help." Eve cast her eyes down and looked sorrowfully at the tombstone.  
  
Spike also looked at the tombstone. 'How could I not have recognized where I am.' Spike thought to himself as he looked at Joyce's tombstone.  
  
Dawn had followed them and recognized where they were immediately. 'Why did she Spike to my mother's grave?' Dawn asked her self as she felt a lump in her throat as she started thinking about her mom.  
  
"So Spike, why do you help?" Eve raised her eyes to meet Spike's.  
  
"I don't know." Spike said now calm.  
  
"Yes, yes you do. Why did you always go to Buffy's house and have hot chocolate with the little marshmallows with Joyce and Dawn? Why did you punch Tara when her family accused her of being a demon? Why did you try to give the anonymous flowers to Buffy and Dawn? Why do you always help?" Eve asked him with growing confidence.  
  
"I just do. I mean need to. Maybe the world needs me to." Spike said breaking his evil badass exterior. "Oh god does this mean I have a soul like that bloody poof? Oh bloody hell...."  
  
Eve smiled at Spike as he went on and on at how he didn't want to be like Angel. She finally decided to assuage his feelings of dread. "No Spike you're not all souled or anything like that. You're special. You get to choose what you are, good or evil."  
  
"Thank you. There's no way I want to be like that nancy boy. But, why am I so special?" Spike inquired.  
  
"I don't actually know why. But, I'm assuming there's a good reason. But, I do that if you stay good something will happen. I don't quite know what it is, but the way the Powers That Be are advertising it, it seems like it's going to be pretty good." Eve looked at her watch, "Whoops I gotta go. You know people to help."  
  
"Ok bye have fun doing whatever you types do."  
  
"Will do. And Spike, stay good or you'll be very sorry you messed with my atonement. If you want some helpful hints to stay good start there." Eve looked over right at Dawn in her hiding spot. "I think she and the rest of the scoobies will have a good influence on you. Later."   
  
Dawn stepped out from the hiding and walked over to Eve and Spike. Eve waved good-bye and walked away. As she was walking she disappeared.  
  
"Well that was somewhat new." Dawn quipped trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"Yeah it was Niblet." Spike then looked at Dawn and asked, "Do you really think I can pull off being a good vamp?"  
  
Dawn looked at him, "Just maybe. Let's go to the Magic Box. Buffy probably sent a search party after me when she figured out I was missing."  
  
"You were missing?" Spike looked at her as they were walking out of the cemetery.  
  
"Yeah, I needed to figure out some stuff and I did."  
  
"Me to Lil' Bit," Spike agreed.   
  
End  
  
  



	2. Post 'The Gift'

Sometimes There's a Why  
  
Author: Lauren  
Feedback: send it to Echo728@yahoo.com. Please be gentle it's my first Buffy fic.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer Joss does. I only own what you don't recognize.  
Rating: PG-13 (use of bad words)  
Spoilers: up to The Gift  
Summary: Dawn meets somebody in the park that changes her outlook on her life.  
  
**********  
  
Dawn was walking quickly through town just trying to get away from everyone. They were all smothering her. They were trying to make her feel all better about her Buffy's death. Even though they know it was not going to go away instantly, especially since she died so close to Joyce. She just couldn't take it she needed to be by herself for just a couple minutes.  
  
The park was as good as place as any; you just had to be on vamp watch. She found herself by a bench and just sat down in complete silence and just stared at her feet. After a while, Dawn didn't know how long she looked up and sitting next to her was a girl whom looked just a couple years older than her.   
  
"Can you leave I kinda want to be by myself for a while?" Dawn asked.  
  
"No," was all girl replied.  
  
"Fine I'll leave," as Dawn got up the girl grabbed her arm and pulled her down.  
  
"No. Why don't you tell me what's going on. By the way I'm Eve."  
  
"I think I should go," Dawn managed to stammer out.  
  
"Oh come on. I don't bite, I'm not a demon or working for Glory. And, I'm not evil. Anymore," Eve tried to assure Dawn.  
  
Dawn just stared at her.  
  
"Ok, how about this? I'll tell you about me and you'll tell me what's wrong with you. I already know what's wrong, but I want to hear it from your point of view," after a slight pause, "I can help."  
  
"I think I should-"  
  
"Please Dawn just give me a chance?" Eve gave Dawn her most sad bedding face.  
  
"I guess I could. You'll go first right?"  
  
"Right. Ok about 2500 years ago I was a real evil badass. I was a killed and I liked it. Then I died and I was shown the evils of my ways. Now I'm in some sort of purgatory, I guess, making up for the bad. I have some sort of insight so that I can see what a person's, whom I'm suppose to be helping, life is like," Eve said it like it was her second nature.  
  
"You're supposed to be helping me? But, I'm The Key." Dawn explained.  
  
"I guess The Powers That Be don't discriminate," Eve answered simply.  
  
"I guess." Then Dawn went onto explain about Buffy, the Scooby Gang, Joyce, and being The Key. "So you see I feel so alone. I have no one. My dad hasn't been a part of my life for a while. He doesn't even know my mom and Buffy are dead."  
  
"That really sucks for you."  
  
"What's dying like?" Dawn interrupted.  
  
"Eve looked at Dawn stunned for a second then somewhat composed she said, "It depends on the kind of death. Joyce's and Buffy's were painless, mine hurt like hell. I was gutted."  
  
"Wow were they really painless," Dawn was looking at Eve hopefully.  
  
"Yeah they were," Eve reassured her.  
  
"Why were you gutted?"  
  
"I met a guy who wanted it more than me."  
  
"Wanted what?"  
  
"To win, live."  
  
"So he gutted you," Dawn looked at her incredulously.  
  
"Well I did deserve it and a whole lot more."  
  
"Where you really that bad?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
After a while of silence Eve said, "You know you're not really alone, Dawn."  
  
"You mean I got you?"  
  
"Well yes that's true, but that's not the point I was trying to make. The point is you got your family." Dawn was about to interrupt her, when Eve cut her off, "Yes I know Joyce and Buffy's are dead, and let's not even mention Hank. But you got Giles, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, and Spike. They're your family. Dawn a family just isn't a bunch of people randomly bonded together by blood and linked together through genetics. It's a group of people who love and care about each other. People who would die for each other and are there till the end."  
  
"How do you know all this? I mean from the way it sounds when you were alive you didn't exactly have a family. " Dawn asked.  
  
"Well in this purgatory you're not just supposed to help people. You're also supposed to learn what you failed to learn when you were alive." Eve informed Dawn.   
  
"Sounds like you have learned al lot." Dawn looked at the girl with a smile.  
  
"I have," Eve looked at her watch, "Ok Dawn, time to go."  
  
"What, why-?"  
  
"Another person I'm supposed to be helping is going to be coming here any minute, so go."  
  
"Ok fine." Dawn got up and left. After she was out of Eve's sight she doubled back and hid where she could see and see what was going on, but couldn't be seen.  
  
Dawn looked out from her hiding place and saw Eve was already with someone. Dawn looked at the person and saw peroxide blonde hair and leather. "Spike," Dawn whispered to herself.  
  
"Ok so? You were some big bad evil. So now I'm supposed to believe you're some type of do-gooder now?" Spike ranted at Eve.  
  
"Basically, yeah. So why don't you believe. It has happened look at Angel. Look at you." Eve shot back calmly.  
  
"Hey now, I only do it because I want the money."  
  
"Right of course. Then why did you do it for free on so many occasions?" Eve challenged.  
  
"All right. I did it because I love Buffy and before she died I made a promise to her. Are you bloody happy now?" Spike was glaring at her furiously.  
  
"Spike I know that's only one of the reasons. Please don't lie to me. Remember, I know what all about the people I'm supposed to be helping. We can just sit here all night till you admit the other reasons why you help Dawn the scoobies." Eve tried to say quietly to try and calm him down.   
  
"I've had enough of you. Good-bye." Spike got up and started walking. Dawn from her hiding place started to follow him.  
  
Eve just got up and followed him, "I can follow you wherever you go. Just to let know, I will not give up. I want my atonement and I'm not going to put it off for a little while longer because of stupid vampire who thinks he's the "Big Bad". Now I want you to tell me your feelings and I want you to tell them to me now!"  
  
"I said NO. So sod off!"   
  
'That's so it. Time to play rough.' Eve grabbed Spike's arm and roughly started dragging him. Dawn looked on stunned but kept quiet. "Now Spike I didn't want to do this, but now I see we have to."  
  
"Wow, you're surprisingly strong for a little girl." Spike said while trying unsuccessfully to get out of her grasp.  
  
"I know. How do you think I managed to kill all those people, by just simply smiling?" After a while of dragging they ended up in a cemetery I front of a grave.  
  
"Why the bloody hell are we here?" Spike yelled.  
  
"So that you would hopefully finally admit why you help." Eve cast her eyes down and looked sorrowfully at two tombstones by their feet.  
  
Spike also looked at the tombstone. 'How could I not have recognized where I am.' Spike thought to himself as he looked at Joyce and Buffy's tombstones.  
  
Dawn had followed them and recognized where they were immediately. 'Why did she Spike to my mom and sister's graves?' Dawn asked her self as she felt a lump in her throat as she started thinking about her mom and Buffy.  
  
"So Spike, why do you help?" Eve raised her eyes to meet Spike's.  
  
"I don't know." Spike said now calm.  
  
"Yes, yes you do. Why did you always go to Buffy's house and have hot chocolate with the little marshmallows with Joyce and Dawn? Why did you punch Tara when her family accused her of being a demon? Why did you try to give the anonymous flowers to Buffy and Dawn? Why did you agree to help Buffy when she tried to leave Sunnydale to protect Dawn? Why did you promise Buffy you would always protect Dawn? Why do you always help?" Eve asked him with growing confidence.  
  
"I just do. I mean need to. Maybe the world needs me to." Spike said breaking his evil badass exterior. "Oh god does this mean I have a soul like that bloody poof? Oh bloody hell...."  
  
Eve smiled at Spike as he went on and on at how he didn't want to be like Angel. She finally decided to assuage his feelings of dread. "No Spike you're not all souled or anything like that. You're special. You get to choose what you are, good or evil."  
  
"Thank you. There's no way I want to be like that nancy boy. But, why am I so special?" Spike inquired.  
  
"I don't actually know why. But, I'm assuming there's a good reason. But, I do that if you stay good something will happen. I don't quite know what it is, but the way the Powers That Be are advertising it, it seems like it's going to be pretty good." Eve looked at her watch, "I gotta go. You know people to help."  
  
"Ok bye have fun doing whatever you types do."  
  
"Will do. And Spike, stay good, honor Joyce and Buffy's memories. Oh and if you don't you'll be very sorry you messed with my atonement. If you want some helpful hints to stay good start there." Eve looked over right at Dawn in her hiding spot. "I think she and the rest of the scoobies will have a good influence on you. Spike. Help them. Good-bye Spike, Dawn." She turned around and looked right at them, "Buffy was right the hardest thing about this world is living in it. Always remember that and her. It could be important one of these days."  
  
Dawn stepped out from the hiding and walked over to Eve and Spike. Eve waved good-bye and walked away. As she was walking she disappeared.  
  
"Well that was somewhat new." Dawn quipped trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"Yeah it was Niblet." Spike then looked at Dawn and asked, "Do you really think I can pull off being a good vamp?"  
  
Dawn looked at him, "Just maybe. Let's go to the Magic Box. Giles and Willow probably sent a search party after me when they saw that I was missing."  
  
"You were missing?" Spike looked at her as they were walking out of the cemetery.  
  
"Yeah, I needed to figure out some stuff and I did."  
  
"Me to Lil' Bit," Spike agreed.   
  
End  



End file.
